Comments on: The Incredibles, Polar Express, the Uncanny Valley, Pixar

By: Creford

Creford — Wed, 23 Mar 2005 09:40:11 +0000

How wonderful it is! Today, I had seen the film - “The Incredibles” this afternoon, my father also had seen this film in this evening. This cartoon movie is powered by Disney-Pixar.
In this film, I love the people’s sensation, scene, bugbears. The scene is so sublime.
With the great imagination.

By: Blogula Rasa

Blogula Rasa — Sun, 12 Dec 2004 06:48:42 +0000

Avatar Adventures

Originally found at Learning Moveable Type, revisited via ***DDtB: Portrait Illustration Maker - Let’s make an original icon!! I actually find this “self-image” slightly disturbing, so I added the headset and optional cat to make it less so. It must…

By: Grand Text Auto

Grand Text Auto — Tue, 07 Dec 2004 03:32:19 +0000

Hard to Believe

Robin Hunicke attended last week’s Game Tech industry seminar, I assume circumventing the $2450 registration fee :-). The gathering was comprised of a Creating Believable Characters Seminar and a Game Tech Leadership Summit. She wrote up a great t…

By: Zen of Design

Zen of Design — Tue, 23 Nov 2004 13:59:52 +0000

The Uncanny Valley

Intelligent Artifice points out that there’s an interesting discussion going on in the comics/CGI blogosphere. The question is - why has the Incredibles earned nearly 200 million dollars, whereas the other barely earned 2.5 million of its 265 million…

By: Walter

Walter — Sun, 21 Nov 2004 16:40:54 +0000

Ha. Nietzsche and Ayn Rand had some similarities in terms of privileging “great men” and despising those who resented them and tried to keep them from reaching their potential. Beyond that, however, I think they’re fundamentally at odds: Rand’s philosophy is called “Objectivism”, whereas Nietzsche, I think, was one of the major steps on the way to postmodernist theory.

But yeah, Rand’s Objectivism shares a lot in common with Libertarianism, although Objectivists are a bit more cult-like in their behavior…they were especially so when Rand was alive (just be careful not to suggest they’re the same as Libertarians in front of an Objectivist: I don’t think they like the association).

I’m not entirely sure, but I don’t think Nietzsche ever had such a fleshed out a political philosophy. And in any case, I doubt it would look like Rand’s.

Oh, but how incredible is The Incredibles! Definitely my favorite Pixar film so far.

By: Jurie Horneman

Jurie Horneman — Tue, 16 Nov 2004 21:17:25 +0000

Hmm… well, I haven’t read Ayn Rand, but that’s being read into The Incredibles as well. I’ve added some links.

By: codemonkey_uk

codemonkey_uk — Tue, 16 Nov 2004 17:34:28 +0000

Nietzschean?

I’ve not read Nietzsch, or seen The Incredibles, but the link you give seems to describe a very Anne Rand philosophy. Is that Nietzschean? I’ve always thought it was Libertarian.

By: Aubrey

Aubrey — Tue, 16 Nov 2004 00:57:16 +0000

Bird understands that ultimately, CG is just another tool. It has strengths and weaknesses, and it is the means, not the end.

I just find it amusing that people attempt to make photorealistic CG when they could… y’know… just use a bloody camera! Then again, there’s something to be said for hyper real paintings, so, once again, I dunno.

By: PaG

PaG — Sun, 14 Nov 2004 00:25:18 +0000

I don’t know if it’s just the marketing, but The Polar Express didn’t seem that interesting to watch to me. Sure it has incredible visuals, but that’s the only thing that stand out. No good story, no real humour. It looks like a good movie to bring kids to, but at 265M$ I think they hoped for more than this.

On the other hand, The Incredibles has a great high concept and the trailer was funny. It made me want to go see the movie, not because of the visuals (which are very nice but not in that “wow” kind of way) but because it seemed funny, witty and that it had good action.

The uncanny valley may well have an impact on the two movie’s success, but I think the main problem is that The Polar Express lacks an interesting hook beyond technology.